Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 03 June 2014 - 09:23 AM

Last Friday my Girlfriend & I began working out together in preparation for the Glow Run 5K in Kansas City. We did the Color Vibe 5K awhile back and more or less enjoyed it aside from not preparing as much as we intended to.

We've been alternating weights 1 day and running/cardio/ab-type day the next. Yesterday we used the inside track at the Y and did 21 laps (1.5 miles), alternating 2 run/2 walk. It feels great to be getting back into the routine again. For the first time in months I have actually been sleeping well, fully passing out about 10:30/11, and *gasp* waking up long before my alarm!

Being the first week we're slowly working into it, but so far things seem great and we're acting as good motivation for one another. I've also joined a Softball League on Wednesday night, which adds a bit more summer fun than just Work/Gym/Sleep

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 17 June 2014 - 08:55 AM

I've started doing my refrigerated oatmeal stuff for breakfast again (I mentioned it in the Fall/Winter thread). It is hands down the best way for me to keep from shoving junk food in my mouth. I had my oatmeal and my coffee this morning and haven't had the craving to nibble on anything else all morning. I just need to keep making them before bed at night, instead of being lazy at night and grabbing a sandwich at BK/Arby's/McDonald's in the morning instead.

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 24 June 2014 - 10:43 AM

Sore as hell today after lifting last night after a week off for vacation. I did get one body weight workout in during vacation but the air was so damn thin up in Reno that I thought I was going to die. I know this will pass by the end of the week.

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 30 June 2014 - 05:50 PM

The rugby season ended last month so I have finally been able to hit the gym hard and bro out.

Bro out status report:
broke the 100kg mark.
Set a bench record of 320 two weeks ago then beat it 3 days later with 325.
Someone stole my used sweaty wrist straps. (gross right?)
In the past week 2 of the typical gym bros have recommended some various weight cutting product but aint nobody got time for that.

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 02 July 2014 - 06:21 AM

Had an endocrinology appointment with the diabetic kid. Her blood sugars are ridiculously out of range. Docs have put her back on a sliding insulin scale to get her illness back under control. This means carbohydrate intake is now limited to 30g at breakfast and snack and 45g at lunch and dinner. And because I don't believe in one person in the household having more than the others, we are ALL limited to this intake level. We've been eating A LOT of lean meat and leafy greens. The kid isn't happy about it, but her blood sugars have been nearly perfect!

In other news, I'm pretty sure my stomach is going to cannibalize itself by the end of the day.

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

have lost ~40 inches of circumference from 'base' measurements (both biceps, both thighs, moobs, chest, belly at bellybutton, and waist at widest point)

have massively increased muscle mass since I began weight training in April (have gone from 8 rep max of 15 lbs on bicep curls to 8 rep max of 40 lbs, for example)

have been actively following 'slow carb' diet. the difference in energy level is amazing.

have lost a substantial amount of fat. I estimate about 20-40 lbs, but this is only an estimate, as the scale I've got only goes up to 310 lbs and I'm still somewhere above that.

A substantial amount of what I've lost seems to have been visceral fat, as I'm no longer short of breath... almost ever. Love handles have shrunk to the point where they aren't noticeable. Belly has 'deflated' and sags because there's not enough fat in it to push it up. it seems to be re-absorbing normally, from the center line of my body to the outside, which is weird. It's strange to see how lumpy I got on the inside.

Blood pressure has nose-dived. very little fatigue. I'm sleeping ~7 hours a day and am very awake an alert.

Tracking mental fitness as well. using Duolingo daily to study 5 languages (use scores from practice sessions as metric for assessing brain function). up to ~200 words each in French/German/Spanish/Italian/Portuguese. (I'm also developing skill in these elsewhere, eg by doing translations of texts, watching foreign films, practicing speaking with language partners, etc. It's not just a 'torture test' anymore, I'm actually trying to become fluent in all of these languages, to the point that I could travel to a country speaking these languages and get around OK without needing translation)

so... fun progress. I'm a bit behind track for losing 100 lbs this year, but not by much, and I'm working on regaining lost ground.

Currently recovering from a wrist injury from within the last several days- not sure how it happened. seems to be a minor TFCC tear. It's enough better that I'm back on weights tonight, but I'll have it splinted just in case.

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 07 July 2014 - 03:16 PM

So I decided to do as supersloth said and just lift. Fuck cardio. My feet wont allow running and I don't have a bike. So, today, I started my thingy.

Bent over dumbbell row: 10 lb 12x12x20 (could use more weights. Next time will be 12-15 lbs methinks)
Chair-assisted pullups: 10x10x5 (I got thighs with this too. )
Dumbbell bicep curls: 10 lb 12x12x10 (supposed to be barbell, but I am poor)
Alternating bicep curls: 10 lb 10x10x10 (Dunno how to count reps, but I did a set of both arms = 1 rep)

Re: Spring/Summer 2014 Fitness

Posted 15 August 2014 - 10:15 PM

A solid time at the gym tonight. The whole yogging thing is going better than expected. Way not as winded as when I really started this in earnest a few months back, and even with a slip up weeks I am still maintaining a good beat.